


is it shameful to like soft things?

by miss_universe



Series: Writer's Month 2019 [24]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Ficlet, Fluff, Gifts, Winterfell, courting, seriously this is so soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-28 18:04:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20430170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_universe/pseuds/miss_universe
Summary: When Brienne entered her room, there was a flower resting on her pillow.Writer's Month 2019 Prompt: Day Twenty Five - Flowers.





	is it shameful to like soft things?

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt fill for Writer's Month 2019.  
Day twenty-five: Flowers.

Brienne stood in her room, touching the flower petal gently, rubbing her thumb on it. It was like silk, smooth and soft in her hand. She frowned, unsure what to make of it.  _ It’s the middle of winter,  _ she thought bemusedly,  _ how is there a blue flower on my bed? And who would even put it there?  _ Surely it couldn’t be Pod. He knew about Ronnet, and he would never do something so strange. It wasn’t Sansa or Arya, it couldn’t be Tormund, and why would any of the servants put it there? It was still cold to the touch, too, which meant someone had to have come in recently. 

Brienne picked up the flower and cradled it softly in her hand, looking down at it. It was a pale blue color, with five petals and a soft yellow center. She lifted it to her nose and sniffed it once, her eyes fluttering shut at the fragile sweet fragrance filled her nose. The flower was gorgeous and delicate, something precious, and it made her stomach swoop dangerously.  _ This is not meant for me,  _ she thought,  _ something so beautiful and soft should not be in my battle-scarred hands.  _ And yet — she didn’t throw it away, instead placing it gently back on her bed. Even if it wasn’t meant for her, even if it was meant as a cruel jest, it made her think of Tarth and spring.    
  


The next day, once she had returned to her rooms from the great hall, another flower was waiting for her. This time it was a bright yellow with an equally bright orange center. It made her think of lions and Lannisters, and she placed it gently next to the first flower. By now she had a feeling she knew who was giving her these gifts, for while there were many things Jaime Lannister could claim to be, subtle was not one of them.

“Ser,” she said when she came across him by the training yard, his dark hair shining in the dim sunlight. “I must ask—“ He turned to face her before she even finished speaking, a smile on his face and something unreadable glittering in his green eyes. He looked — like a god, almost, or maybe just so refreshingly human she couldn’t tell the difference. 

“Well, Lady Brienne,” he said softly, taking a step towards her with a knowing, hesitant smile on his face, “When you are courting someone, you usually tell others that want you that you are taken. You have done no such thing with that wildling, so I attempted to make it clearer.”

Brienne blushed hotly, narrowing her eyes. “We are not courting, Ser.” She said in confusion and a slowly increasing anger. Was he mocking her? After everything they had been through? 

His eyes trailed down to her hip, where Oathkeeper rest. Her hand went to its hilt and held onto it tightly, her fingers turning white. “This was not a courting gift.” She protested, something warm squirming in the pit of her stomach. His left hand reached out and gently pried her fingers away from her sword, holding them together and intertwining their fingers. 

“No?” He asked, light amusement coloring his tone. “I have given you Valyrian steel, a suit of armor that fits you exactly and a loyal squire. Not courting gifts I would give any other highborn maiden, but I have never courted a knight before.” 

Hope bubbled inside her, and it was awful. “Don’t you mock me.” She whispered, a warning and plea at once. 

He gripped her hand tighter. “Never,” he vowed, taking a step closer to her. His eyes were light and carefree, the dark shadows she had always noticed gone without a trace. She took a deep breath and gathered her courage, then squeezed his hand once in reply. 

**Author's Note:**

> please leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed!


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